Kinser Campaign: DPI in Disarray

MADISON, Wisc. — On Tuesday, Amy Loudenbeck, Campaign Manager for Kinser for WI Kids, released the following statement responding to news that Jill Underly’s Executive Director at the Department of Public Instruction was stepping down from his role with less than a month until Spring Elections.

The announcement comes as other key staff, including former Assistant State Superintendents Tricia Collins and Duy Nguyen, left the department in recent months.

”Jill Underly is rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic as her staff jumps ship. Too many Wisconsin kids are not reading and doing math at grade level, and schools are not getting the support they deserve from DPI; that is unacceptable. This is what failed leadership looks like – internal chaos and sinking credibility. The people of Wisconsin and our kids deserve so much better than what they are getting from Jill Underly regarding K-12 education. On April 1, voters must send a proven leader to Madison to take the helm and correct the course because our kids can’t wait.

Meet Brittany Kinser:

Brittany Kinser has championed high standards for students and their families throughout her career as an education leader.

While teaching special education in Chicago Public Schools for nearly a decade, Brittany also worked at the district level to improve student outcomes across over a dozen large urban high schools, successfully implementing best practices.

As a public elementary school principal in Milwaukee, she was honored with the “Beating the Odds” award by then-State Superintendent Tony Evers.

Brittany’s leadership experience includes serving as Executive Director of a national public charter school network, and serving as CEO of a Milwaukee-based education advocacy non-profit working to make sure every Milwaukee child receives an excellent education.

In the last year, Brittany co-founded 95 Wisconsin, an initiative rooted in her steadfast belief that with high-quality, evidence-based instruction, 95% of Wisconsin children can achieve reading proficiency. She wants Wisconsin to be the first state in the nation to turn this potential into reality by providing direct instruction to students and strategic support to school leaders to ensure every student has the opportunity to learn to read skillfully.

With advanced degrees in education and a passion for expanding opportunities, Brittany is dedicated to creating transformative change for students, families, and schools.

Brittany’s dedication to creating transformative educational opportunities is matched by her academic credentials. She holds a master’s degree in Educational Leadership from Columbia University Teachers College, a master’s degree in Designing Science Curriculum from the Illinois Institute of Technology, and a bachelor’s degree in Special Education from Eastern Illinois University.

In her free time, she loves biking through Wisconsin’s scenic country roads, trail running, reading great books, and traveling across the U.S. to hike and visit with family and friends.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.